1984 Pontiac Fiero 2M4

Chevrolet’s Corvette had nothing to fear from Pontiac’s sporty 2-seat Fiero - and that was exactly the way General Motors planned it. But what caused 1-in-every-508 Fieros to burst into flames? And what did Pfaf Performance Inc. do to “boost” Fiero performance? The answers lie within this video.

[@garyw4211]

The GT fastback was the one to have. I remember sitting in my parents van while they were in the bank one day and one of those drove by. It was the first time I'd seen one, and at 16, it was the best looking car I'd ever seen in person. Lol.

[@ScottDLR]

Yeah, they were really a nice looking car and willd accept an LS swap.

[@Deeznuts84356]

I remember a silver gt on my street growing up. The girl drove the car many years. Flashback to the 80’s. Cool video.

[@thecommodoredecker]

My buddy barry had one with a 350 shoehorned into it! It was insane fast!

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

I agree!👍

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

@@thecommodoredecker that was a suicide swap!👋😂all engine no weight!

[@dennisshepherd1679]

That chrysler infinity radio,which fits perfectly in the space,is actually better than the Delco the fiero would have came with...but those speakers in the seats sounded awesome

[@thoraldshib4393]

was gonna say the same

[@daveranger2826]

I bought an ' 85 2M4 from a used car dealer in Birmingham Ala. with a brand new clutch . After 2000 miles or so it was slipping again . I took it apart and found an I believe chevy push rod cut off and used as a slave rod that was making it's own impression on the clutch fork . I repaired it again believing I was using factory slave rod . I was almost 4000 into a 2500 car lot deal . I let them repo the car , but kept the speaker seats and put them in my V-8 5 speed Ranger swap truck .

[@LakeHowellDigitalVideo]

Yeah, I did a double take and was like.... Isn't that a Chrysler head unit?

[@brianjoy3407]

So funny when you see that balance joystick it screams Chrysler. So funny thought that and here it is. You guys rock! Oh yeah you too Steve! Knowledge unmatched anywhere

[@ricksaint2000]

Thank you Steve get well soon

[@davidmitchell7183]

I bought a 1984 Fiero 4 cylinder automatic with 40,000 miles. Less than a month after I bought it, it caught fire when my wife used it to go to work. Not to be deterred, I bought a 86 Fiero GT with a manual 4 speed with 100k miles. That car lasted 10 years and was a blast to drive. I would buy another were the situation to present itself. As far as handling, it had a quirk where if you let off the throttle in the middle of a corner, it would get out of shape. The fix was stiffer bushing for the rear suspension but I just didn't let off the throttle in a hot corner.

[@chrischristman210]

Back around 2000 I went to the Kruse Auto Auction in Auburn, IN. Back in the show car area there was a Fiero with a 455 mounted in the back. Very cleanly done.

[@rp9674]

Sounds beastly

[@Jeffgordonfan24hesthegoat]

I see it on KZbin

[@gregkellow4723]

I remember when I first started out at a GM dealership in the 80s, we had a used Fiero on the lot. One of the salesmen knocked the clutch out of it, because the park brake lever was stowed in the down position. So he didn't realize the brake was on. He smoked the clutch driving with the brake on....ahhh memories.

[@mexicanspec]

I worked at a Chevy dealer from 1987 - 1988 and we also owned a Pontiac store. When that store was sold we got the left over stock on our lot. The Fiero was a neat little car but it was a young persons car. An older person played Hell trying to get into it and even worse getting out.

[@mromatic17]

Damn thats crazy I forget to take off my e brake on my 1994 f150 here and there. It still drives ok it just seems like it stops a little faster. doesn’t hold the clutch back at all. then again were talking a v8 truck and a 4cy car.

[@JohnAnderson-yl8hc]

Steve, just letting you know I bought a brand new 1986 2M4 and it had 2M4 on the deck lid. Didn't burn up and it was a great car, wish I still had it. Drove it from 6 original miles to 147,000+

[@philjones9339]

Me and a buddy rented a black 2M6 for a roadtrip from SF Bay Area to LA. Loved that car and still think it looks great today!

[@codger8]

Thanks for the fiero video. I bought one new in 1988 and I still have and drive it. To me a fiero is closer to a street legal go kart then a sports car.

[@creightonfreeman8059]

Another major cause of the engine fires was that mechanics would not use the proper lift points when they put them on the lift and crush the coolant tubes that run from the front radiator back along the lateral edges of the belly to the engine. With reduced or no coolant flow the engine would overheat leading to seizure and fires.

[@jimdandy7323]

I'm restoring an '84 Indy...I enjoy your videos...best history class there is...

[@geraldscott4302]

I bought a brand new 1986 Fiero 2.5L/5 speed, and drove it for over 7 years. Never had a single problem with it. Just like the Pinto (I also still own a 1972 Pinto wagon) the thing about Fieros catching on fire was blown completely out of proportion. There isn't a car model out there that hasn't caught on fire. The Hyundai/Kia fires seem to be the real thing however, with thousands of them catching on fire over a fairly short period of time. The Fiero with a manual transmission was an absolute blast to drive, and had the look of an exotic car. IMO, it looked much better than the C4 Corvette. The 2M4 emblem was on all four cylinder '84, '85, and '86 Fieros. It went away in 1987, when the Fiero got a restyled front and rear fascia. The 2.5L four was available in all year Fieros.

[@61rampy65]

Those KIA and Hyundai fires are also resulting from thrown rods. Non-automotive news articles almost never mention that fact. The thrown rods did result in a massive recall, specifically for the 2.4L 4 cyl engine, due to a manufacturing process that allowed crud from the casting to remain in the oil passages. Typical drivers would ignore the knocking sound and just keep driving. They only noticed a problem when the oil exiting the block caught on fire.

[@sc3ku]

Recall was more than 2.4. 1.6 and 2.0 engines as well; my wife just sold her Kia Soul even after they gave us the 150,000 mile warranty as part of the recall. Started guzzling oil around 80k, despite following the severe service schedule. Very small oil capacity on those motors, like the Fieros, so it was a constant chore for us to monitor oil levels. Which was always dirty with the GDI set up.

[@RearEngineShop]

Gotta love Fiero’s! 👍

[@onlyweknow2]

Had the 87' GT for 180k Miles and had nothing but fun with it.

[@dr.OgataSerizawa]

My red ‘84 SE looks like it just rolled off the assembly line. Engine, transmission, tight as a gnats ass stretched over a rain barrel. 75,XXX miles. Still having fun going on 40 years in March of 2024. Edit: (I’m 71)

[@discerningmind]

Good review. Thanks. I had two '84 Fiero's, one stick, the other automatic. The automatic was the better car. A little faster. The stick on the other one would jam all the time. You had to get these cars with power windows because there was no way you can reach the passenger side door window crank. I enjoyed Fiero's, the handling was good, they were good on gas, better handling than my IROC, and the Iron Duke version had an exhaust unlike any other. The sound of the exhaust was unique, and I loved it. The stereo was enjoyable too having the tweeters at your ears and the bass units in the dash top ahead of the driver. Getting-in was an affair requiring my left hand on the roof and lowering my body in. Getting-out was more like spilling out using my left hand on the rocker to hold me off the ground. Fun cars and people liked seeing them because they were different and cool looking. I really wish we had some unique cars now because I'm really sick of seeing gray or black SUVs.

[@javiermori1710]

Had a 84 silver fiero. I was 16 and this was 87 so i was stoked. Totally agree the speakers in headrest was always a talking point. Flip up headlights were cool too. It was definately a looker.

[@rondpert5167]

Years ago, a GM engineer, once told about some of the experimental cars at GM. One was a Fiero with the 3.8 Turbo engine. Wicked fast, but the couldn't solve the heat soak problem after turning off the engine. The heat would warp the body panels. FYI, the large center tunnel housed the gas tank.

[@geraldscott4302]

That large console was my favorite interior feature. It stuck way up above the seats. It and the tiny rear window gave the feeling of driving an exotic car. It felt a lot like a Lotus Esprit I sat in once, but never drove. They couldn't have picked a safer place for the gas tank, but it made the tank very difficult to remove. These cars were a serious bargain. I paid just over $8000 for an '86 base model with the 14" allow wheels and A/C. Put close to 180K miles on it with no problems except had to have the rear end aligned three or four times. I never drove it hard. The Fiero was a wonderful car that sold well with almost no advertising. All it needed were a few minor tweeks. GM's Roger B.S. killed it to make room for the POS Buick Reatta. Things did get a bit out of hand though. They should never have put the 2.8L in it. And they should never have made the '87 and '88 GT with the tunnelback design. It cost nearly $20,000. The Fiero was never intended to be a sports car, but it looked like one, so people complained because it didn't drive like one. What did they expect for $8000?

[@BuzzLOLOL]

@@geraldscott4302 - Fiero was supposed to be a $6.5K economy car after the 200% inflation of '77 - '81, but once they saw people would pay more, it quickly went to $15K !!! The Fiero fastback is one of best looking cars ever... and '88s handled great... all Fieros handle well...

[@BuzzLOLOL]

That kind of power in Fieros would have destroyed Corvette sales... just like the mid engined C8 Corvette annihilates all earlier Corvettes! And the mid engine Porsche (if they let it have enough power) easily outperforms the big dollar flagship 911.

[@stoneylonesome4062]

I always thought the Fiero should’ve gotten the Turbocharged, intercooled, fuel-injected 3.8L Buick V6. That, a nice 6-Speed manual, and perhaps even the AWD system from the Cyclone/Typhoon or perhaps even the one Isuzu put in the Piazza/Impulse with the Lotus-tuned passive 4-wheel-steering. I think those two factors would’ve made the Fiero a truly legendary car, rather than one left to rust to death in the yards of rednecks and remembered only for the novelty gimmick of a rear-mid-engine Pontiac.

[@stoneylonesome4062]

@@BuzzLOLOL A lack of distinctive brand identity is one of the several factors which hurt GM, and ultimately, Pontiac. If Pontiac is supposed to be the radical, youth-oriented performance division, then why not give the Fiero better performance than the corvette? I’d argue the corvette has generally been more of a Grand Tourer throughout most of its history, Z06 packages aside.

[@chinanorthairguns]

The Chrysler radio must have been a rare option. A friend of mine had nothing but trouble with his 84. Overheated all the time. Starter was heat soaked constantly. Set the throttle cable on fire once, and nearly toasted the battery. I took the thermostat out of it and that stopped all the problems.

[@beauxr.benoit1374]

That was on purpose. If this car had not had any problems to speak of it would have scared GM's Executives into cancelling it for fear of it challenging the "vette Pontiac had already tried to make a Pontiac Corvette. That was compandered and turned into the C-3. Please go look up the Pontiac Banshee Concept/C-3 Corvette.

[@hellhound47bravo3]

Yeah, I was wondering if anyone noticed the Pentastar on the radio's faceplate. Those little details will bite you in the ass every time.

[@beauxr.benoit1374]

@@hellhound47bravo3 It sould be back and forth considering some AMC's cars had Chevy engines in them during production.

[@phelanator5784]

I hate to say you're wrong Steve but I owned a 1986 fiero with the 2.8 V6. I remember changing the plugs at one time and I did not have to lower the engine down. Mind you I remember using a mirror and a length of rubber hose attached to the wire end of the spark plug to get it screwed in. I remember there was a recall on it to replace the exhaust manifolds because it kept snapping studs off. Great little car but it did have it quirks. Another bit of info the front end was the same as a Chevy chevette. Found that out when I had to change the front ball joints.

[@davidgilbert7789]

My LLV,(mail truck) assigned to my Rural route, has this same engine. Truck was built in 1988 and still in service.

[@Jeffgordonfan24hesthegoat]

Were u on retular car reviews

[@racingfortheson]

It also had the highest safety rating only beat out by the Volvo Station Wagon.

[@rp9674]

Probably because of the rear engine, they hadn't figured that out then

[@BuzzLOLOL]

@@rp9674 - Fiero has steel guard beam doors and actually a steel safety chassis and can be driven without the exterior plastic body panels... Mid engines were slow to be adopted because of the problem of the heavy engine breaking loose and slamming into the passengers when running into something... "Rear" engines is old VW, Porsche 911, Subaru, and Renault Dauphine.

[@landongendur]

I had a silver '85 model & a black 86 model, both 2M4s. The easy way to tell a 1984 model from any other is that the rear deck lid engine housing had a big black grille on the top. The later models had a "hump" that was body coloured.

[@dr.OgataSerizawa]

There are TWO black grilles on the rear deck lid of the ‘84.

[@MartinWibert]

I wondered if Steve would ever get around to talking about the Fiero. I’ve seen him repeatedly walk past “invisible” Fieros in junk yards. But as usual when Fieros are discussed the facts get distorted. The three quarts of oil issue was actually the result of the wrong parts bin dip stick being specified. It was too long causing the full mark to equate to a quart low. It’s unlikely that anyone would deliberately design a three quart oil pan. The connecting rod issue was the result of relaxed incoming receiving inspection requirements. To keep up with sales they made the mistake of allowing severely cracked rods to go into the engines. I also believe his fire numbers are exaggerated. I seem to recall that only about 200 cars caught fire. And finally, Steve states that the 88 Fiero has tubular control arms. My copy is stock and has stamped arms. Having said all of that, I’m still pleased that he has taken the time to recognize the Fiero.

[@jimrky6062]

I had an '88 with the Iron Duke in 1998. The engine got a little 'sloppy' in the bottom end, so I ordered a "rebuilt" short block from an Auto Parts store - and what I got was a factory paint, 0 over on bore, mains and rods block - obviously Pontiac had let go of some backstock. So, I got an NOS short block for about $300 bucks 😎 Lubed the shifter cables and re-adjusted so I never had problems there, and replaced the throttle positioning sensor in the throttle-body injection. The problems I hit were with the joints in the rear half-shafts (tap the wheel against a curb while driving and "bing!" there goes that shaft to whirring and grinding) and I finally traded it (on a Paseo) because I couldn't find a replacement steering box for it. But I had a LOT of fun with that car!!!

[@dakingakings7184]

I have several Fieros in my car collection. In one of them I dropped a V8. Awesome to drive. It really moves.

[@radiodave1]

Steve, thanks for highlighting the Fiero! I had an identical car to this one right down to the paint color and interior. I, too, had the 4-speed and the best MPG I ever got was on a road trip where I got just over 40 MPG while averaging 80 MPH! The ONLY problem I had with mine was the head gasket blowing twice while I owned it. BTW that AM/FM Cassette deck you highlighted has the Chrysler symbol on it! LOL!!!! I swapped my AM/FM out for a deck from an '88GT that was all push button with AM Stereo! Miss that little car!

[@BuzzLOLOL]

Still have my '85 in same color, but discovered it has the 5 speed tranny after driving in 4th for a few days... clutch arm cracked and needed fixing... Also have '77 Pontiac Astre FORMULA Safari Station Wagon with Rochester/Weber 2 bbl. carb'd Iron Duke 4 rated 28 MPG City and 34 MPG Hiway... always wondered why the EFI'd Iron Duke 4 Fiero was rated lower???

[@nickster0007]

Yeah, I was about to point out that that cassette was NOT an original part, but you beat me to it!

[@dr.OgataSerizawa]

Still have the ‘84 SE sitting in my driveway that I bought new in ‘84. It has the original AM-FM cassette that was in it when I bought it. Not sure where you get the idea that the cassette player was not original equipment. In fact, there’s an identical red ‘84 SE in my garage, in near mint condition with the same stereo set up. Do some research before going off half cocked……

[@dr.OgataSerizawa]

@@nickster0007 The above comment is for you.

[@nickster0007]

@@dr.OgataSerizawa Dude. 7:18. Say it with me... It... Is... A... Chrysler... Cassette... player. That is definitely NOT original. Yes, I know Fiero's came with cassette players. I have owned over 25 of them. (No joke). Used to strip/scrap/repair/rebuild/drive/drive/drive them everywhere all the time.

[@paulhansen7667]

I looked at one of these in 1984. I bought a new CRX instead. That was one of the few times I made the right choice.

[@my1vice]

I'd agree. I've had three Fieros in my youth.... The CRX was better (esp the Si). Actually, the MR2 and Pulsar were better as well.

[@rp9674]

A Honda mechanic advised me against CRX, said it was too tightly packed, if I recall

[@my1vice]

@@rp9674 I dunno.... I'm not much of a Honda guy. But doesn't it share the same front as a Civic? If so, the "tightly packed" thing doesn't make a lot of sense. New one on me. I can't say either way.

[@marcusdamberger]

Just saw a black CRX at the light the other night. It was a little ratty, but the engine sounded about right as they took off. Amazed at how small the A pillars were back then.

[@marcusdamberger]

@@my1vice Loved the look of the Pulsar, had a couple in our church that had a brand new one. I remember sitting in it in the parking lot and amazed how supple the clutch was vs my friends 83' Civic. Within a year they had to give up the Pulsar since they were having a kid on the way. Ended up with a Toyota Previa van, another oddity from the 80's. Thinking back I wonder if it was the Turbo charged one, but from what I understand the Turbo just gave the Previa horse power it should have had for its weight. i.e. not a huge boost, but at least could keep up with traffic.

[@redneckbryon]

Interesting subject and I think you should have touched base on it, people actually put the big V6 Supercharged 3.8L engines in these cars and LS V8’s. You can get the big engines in these cars without heavy modifications.

[@billiebobbienorton2556]

Thanks!

[@marcodarko6941]

The frame rusting out explains why it is sitting there, I thought it looked fairly clean and was wondering why. That radio in there is a Chrysler head unit. I always liked the upgraded Infinity sound system in Chrysler products.

[@TheRealDrJSquared]

I was at the local circle track in 1984 and they had a race what brought race in between the real races. Some guy brought a brand new Fiero and was racing a ‘67 GMC pickup. The pickup had a souped up 350 and the rear end was nearly on the ground. It corned like you wouldn’t believe. He was going around the corner and the Fiero tried to pass on the outside and ended up driving into the wall. The officials had to pull him back because he wanted to kill the truck driver. Served him right.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

A friends teen aged sister had one around 1987 and was passing a vehicle on a 2 lane hwy and spun it sideways and got hit in the driver’s door by oncoming traffic and died. Love those cars but have this horrible memory every time I see one. This is the first time I’ve heard of the fires being started by these cars. Interesting, thanks for the history lesson!

[@dcformee123]

I had a friend that worked for an attorney and this lady was going 35 miles an hour had to head on collision and she was driving a fiero the person in the other car was perfectly fine the lady and the fiero passed away the car wasn't real safe in accidents.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@dcformee123 So sad probably many more we don’t know about.

[@DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL]

That was before airbags and widely available ABS. The Fiero was second only to Volvo in NHTSA crash test integrity score.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL I would own one today if I have a chance to find a nice v6 model. Just have the bad memories to go with it.

[@DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL]

@@unclemarksdiyauto My comment was to you, but it was mainly made to inform others about the car; to give context. This doesn't apply to you, but Americans hurt themselves when they flippantly body slam things they've made. Manufacturing is necessary for a growing middle class.

[@ZacLowing]

My girlfriend got an 84 back then and I learned about mid engine driving in it. As other folks have pointed out, it was weak, so it was always floored, but doing that through a turn took the weight off the front wheels and you where no longer turning but sliding towards the wall.

[@wreckerjonny6144]

A school friend back then his dad had one for every year and it they had special models he had it. One fiero the gold one he used in 2 hot rod power tours . But sadly he passed away and I think his son holds the collection. R.i.p A.C..

[@73ac39]

I remember reading that Car and Driver in 6th grade in library. My teacher bought a Fiero GT in 88 when they announced it getting killed off,he stashed it and never used it. Guy was enamored with mid engine cars. Owned a Ferrari too.

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

That car when it was introduced in 84 was a big deal and a hit for Pontiac! I remember going to the Chicago auto show and seeing it there, everyone was at awe! As a matter of fact my friend dad bought one for him and one for his sister! I always thought they where good looking cars, specially the ones with the 2.8 v6 gt version’s. From 85-88. Great video and history lesson Steve! Thank you for sharing!

[@NorthernChev]

Riding around in the V6 manual trans versions of these, back in the day, was fun as hell. You gotta remember, we didn't have anything else like it back then, so it was novel.

[@bryco32]

Still love my 1988 Fiero GT. Shoehorned a slightly warmed over 3800sc L67 engine into it a few years back. Just finished up a Equal length header setup on it.

[@dan0711123]

We had an '87 & 1/2 with a 5 speed and the tech4 engine that got 56 MPG . We went from North Reading Mass to Bangor Maine on a quater of a tank

[@floridagunrat1625]

The first time I saw GT was in the summer of 86, I thought it was an absolutely awesome looking car and eventually I ended up owning two Fieros an '88 4-cylinder SE and an '86 6-cylinder. They were both a lot of fun to drive and generally gave me very good service. Handling was a little unusual, as if you gunned it and turn the wheel it would generally go straight ahead! After Ralph Nader door GM a new one with the Chevrolet Corvair they made sure to set up the front-end geometry where it was pretty much impossible to spin it out. However, it was absolutely fantastic for doing reverse j-turns and you could sling the front end around the center of gravity at that engine! I did it just about every chance I got when I thought there weren't any cops around! It was my plans to buy a V8 Archie kit and convert one with a Chevy 350, but life intervened other things came along and eventually I sold them both to a guy that was building kit cars on fierros. I wonder how many kit cars are still out there running on a Fiero chassis?

[@justinpeterson6839]

92 Horsepower doesnt sound like much on paper but in the right car like this one its a hell of a fun ride

[@danheiking5644]

I really like your new introduction cutting weeds and the music goes perfect with it. I remember that they split in two behind the seat area. There was one locally that I saw.

[@chefshooter1383]

I owned an ‘84 Indy Pace Car Fiero. It was a great little car. It was only the second four cylinder car to pace Indy. The first being the Stutz roadster in the inaugural 1912 race. Cool stuff!

[@AirWireTech]

The 5 speed was a 1986 1/2 year option. So you will find several 1986 model year Fieros with 4-Speeds and several others with 5-speeds. That 5-speed Muncie/Getrag MG282 was a tough little Transmission, as well. Professional racers used it for decades with Webster racing gears. Also, the Corvette guys were cowed initially but they never took their eyes off of the Fiero. In 1984 the C4 came out and Chevy was eager to see it pace the 68th Indy 500, but lost out the Fiero which was sporting a 232 HP SD4 engine. In 1989, the Fiero was Supposed to get a Turbo 3.1 designed in conjunction with ASC/Mclaren (it ended up in the Grand Prix Turbo). This would have given the Fiero the identical Power to Weight Ratio of a 1989 Corvette ZR-1 for a fraction of the cost; combined with planned power steering and the new tri-link and wishbone suspension, Chevy (instead of building a better Corvette) had GM kill off the Fiero.

[@artjones2498]

When i was in college...my shop teacher had 1 that he converted with a cadilac northstar V8 it was a friggin powerhouse monster and handled like a go kart

[@formula112967]

The Caddy Northstar motor is probably the best option for a V8 in the Fiero because its transverse and lightweight. There is a Fiero I see at the car cruises here in the Boston area with a Corvette Lt1 stuffed in the back of it....I am sure he had to do a lot of work to get it to fit, and he had to do a lot of work to stiffen the frame for that engine.

[@lb9gta307]

​@@formula112967 as much as I'k not a fan of LS swaps, I would argue that the LS4 is a better option for a V8 swap than a Northstar if somewhat less interesting

[@formula112967]

@@lb9gta307 That would be a great choice, except GM never made an LS4. They made an LQ4, which was a Vortech based 6 liter truck motor, but no LS4. The reason I stated the Northstar motor would be a good choice, is because it is a transverse motor capable of 350 bwhp on just a tune, and that is what the Fiero is designed for because it is a mid-engine car.

[@reidster87]

@@formula112967 GM made an LS4 which is an aluminum block 5.3L V8 designed for transverse installation in FWD cars. It was available on select years of the mid to late 00s Buick Lucerne Super, Pontiac Grand Prix GXP, Chevy Impala SS and Monte Carlo SS.

[@formula112967]

@@reidster87 My apologies sir, and thank you for the lesson, and yes, I agree that would be a better option for the Fiero because of its in-engine camshaft, and I believe the Northstar was an overhead cam engine.... am I correct?

[@JC-ct7wp]

Had an 85 Fiero and that magazine ! I remember it well.Hate to correct you Steve, the 4cyl did have an available 5 spd in 1985 The 4 spd was on the V6.

[@trail70brent]

I had 4 of the Fiero’s at one time they were a great little cars people would give you eyeballs everywhere you go ! I was a member of the Michigan Fiero club which was 100+ membership First class club back in the day and I’m just wondering how many of the guys from the club are still out there with their Fiero please comment if you were a member of the Michigan Fiero club which was the largest Fiero club in the country at the time

[@larrysantacrose]

I wasn't a member but I do have a 1988 2M4 fun car to drive I live in Macomb County east side of the state metro Detroit area

[@BuzzLOLOL]

Have '85 Fiero in nearby Toledo...

[@markjohnson5081]

Tnx Steve! 4.5 stars outta 5. I have an 85 GT. Fun to drive! You can replace the rear spark plugs in the V6 without major effort. It's a task, but you don't need to drop the engine. Not even GM, in the 80s would make that service mistake!

[@overlook00]

With the right combination of socket extensions and I was able to remove and install plugs in my 1988 Formula Fiero without much difficulty.

[@sandyman541]

Back in the early 90s I worked on a good customer's fiero v6 which included a tuneup but I didn't have to drop the cradle to get the back plugs.... Poor guy 2 weeks later apparently left a bar at night ...dui....rear-ended an 18 wheeler at high speed and decapitated himself. It was a very sobering moment seeing that car in our impound lot the next morning.

[@Slowgroovin]

Beautiful styling, ahead of their time, and very unappreciated.

[@Piggypongtheavgeek]

I remember working on those. The front suspension was Chevette and the rear suspension was Citation and other GM front wheel drives. They were a pain to do a coolant system flush too.

[@chinanorthairguns]

Worst rad setup I have ever seen.

[@rogergoodman8665]

@@chinanorthairguns The C4 Corvette mounts very similar. A slanted radiator is the price to pay for the low slug aerodynamic front end. And if you actually know how to properly bleed the cooling system , it's a piece of cake. Steve lied though about the V6 Fiero when he stated the spark plugs on the firewall side are impossible to replace without dropping the cradle. I have owned a 87 GT for 12 years and they can be done with the engine in the car. The 84 model though is one I will never ever buy. 87 & 88 are the best years.

[@chinanorthairguns]

@@rogergoodman8665 C4 does not have the mile long rad hoses the Fiero has though.

[@Piggypongtheavgeek]

No doubt. I did make decent money selling offset upper ball joints or turning them to get the camber in spec.

[@rogergoodman8665]

@@chinanorthairguns You said "worst radiator setup" not overall cooling system. The stainless steel coolant tubes that run along both sides of the car actually aid in the cooling process by providing more surface area for heat to disapate. And the extra hoses are a necessary evil in a mid engined car no matter who manufactured it. I run my car hard, I'm not nice to it and my car never overheats on the highway. The cooling system is more than adequate as long as it's properly maintained.

[@ironmikey7216]

As the owner of a 1987 Fiero GT, I can attest to the fact that you don’t have to lower the engine to change the three spark plugs next to the firewall. Simply remove the engine deck lid, four bolts, and the plugs are easily accessible.

[@TheVikingAxel]

Beat me to writing this. I also have an 87 GT and have yet to drop the engine to do my spark plugs.

[@jonathangehman4005]

I remember a girlfriends roomate that regularly got 48-49mpg running her Fiero back and forth from Ohio to Virginia. I always sorta wanted one

[@jldoctor]

You can change the plugs without dropping the engine for the 2.8 V6, but you have to do it by feel only. I have an 86 GT that it can be done - its just no fun laying over the top of the engine hugging the block to do it :)

[@goodbonezz1289]

I always had an amount of respect for the Fiero..especially the ‘88 GT with the Lotus suspension.

[@sdrivegarage]

Made me look for a pic of the 4-door Fiero. To my absolute surprise, I like it! Thanks for the info.

[@vettekid3326]

My daughter had one of the 1988's with the V6 and automatic. It was a fun little car but the biggest problem was getting all the air out of the cooling system with the radiator up front. If you weren't successful at burping the system it would overheat.

[@albertgaspar627]

the cheapest attempt is to drive the front end up on ramps, and let it sit. theoretically, the air pockets will rise to the highest point, like bubbles in a glass of soda pop. then tape a funnel to the radiator fill neck and fill coolant until its inside the funnel and run the engine, letting it all bubble out.

[@rp9674]

I had a 1992? Acura vigor, if you didn't bleed the cooling system the idle would surge wildly

[@Daniel-fd3wp]

My Buddy’s Older Brother had a 1988 Fiero red dual exaust in 1993 with dual exaust I think it was a 6 speed Manuel maybe I’m wrong. But it looked real slick with sunroof.👍

[@blackbuttecruizr]

Great Vid, thanks for continuing to toss in whether a vehicle is salvageable or not.

[@marcgauvin1171]

I’ve been waiting for you to discuss the Fiero. I was hoping you might have discussed the 88, and the changes they made to the last model year.

[@Henry_Jones]

Gotta ♥️ all the lambo and ferrari body kits that were available!

[@radiodave1]

There's a kit called The Finale' that I always thought was cool too...

[@4b131]

1985 4cyl had a 5 speed, this was my first car, a 2m4 was mine here in Canada. Speakers in the seats was a cool feature for a 16 year old too.

[@johnn2557]

I love Steve using the original weed wacker in the intro!!

[@oops1952]

It's just a warm up for his golf game

[@radioMicor]

I've had my 85 GT since new. You can change the front spark plugs without dropping the motor. It's much easier to remove the engine cover to gain some access though. This is the 1st mid-engine GM car, not the new Corvette.

[@lb9gta307]

That's not true. They've had mid engine cars for decades befor the Fiero including sevril generations of Corvette, they were just front-mid. The Fiero was the first REAR-mid engine GM car.

[@dr.OgataSerizawa]

@@lb9gta307 You know what the guy is saying. You don’t need to split hairs. The fact is, the big shots in the Corvette division of GM were terrified that the Fiero would diminish their bottom line. Bunch of greedy bitches at Corvette. Edit: it’s *several. NOT sevril.

[@ericwilson2585]

I absolutely love your schooling Steve.

[@dno5779]

The Fiero was about 2800 lbs where my '84 Civic Wagon was 2200 lbs. with about the same hp. Also, the Fiero is very small inside, making it fairly impractical. I never thought they could have used the later alum Vega engine with the steel sleeves - maybe more hp? I had never heard about the 3 qt. oil pan - GM did not shy away from taking risks sometimes. I enjoyed following the Fiero as it was being developed back then - Pop Mechanics had a transparent illustration on it's cover and they were driving one around without it's skin - petty neat - that was the good side of GM's risk taking. 👍

[@peterdaniel66]

Risks? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Its called being cheap..

[@marklarson9436]

My uncle had one in gold which looked nice with the black trim. It was sharp.

[@robertvance1873]

One thing Steve didn't talk about and I guess maybe he doesn't know, but the other reason and it was the only reason I heard that the Duke caught fire 🔥 was because GM crammed the wiring harness in a bad area where it was Exposed to Heat and burned through the Shield Catching the wires on Fire 🔥 because I ran the Hell out of my iron dukes that I owned in my Oldsmobile Cieras and I never had a problem with them.

[@Guns_N_Gears]

I have to agree with you on the engine's reliability. I have personally owned several of those engine's, from S-10 trucks, cars, even had a boat with one, and never once had any issues. No oil loss, or smoke, and I beat the piss out of all of them. Hell even the USPS delivery trucks ALL had those engine's. They were tough. Thanks for the memories Steve!!

[@BuzzLOLOL]

@@Guns_N_Gears - The Iron Duke has no timing belts (40K miles) or timing chain (150K miles) to fail !!! Love that!

[@Fontanamotorsport]

@@BuzzLOLOL yes, but they were known to strip out the Phenolic timing gear on the camshaft...i replaced many

[@BuzzLOLOL]

@@Fontanamotorsport - Once you had all metal gears and HEI ignition you had the ultimate engine...

[@spaxspore]

I own a 84 indy Pace Replica. 2000 were made, 1000 were autos and 1000 were manuals by GM for the 1984 Indy 500. Basically it was a 2M4 iron duke with a porotype GT Notchback body and all the same cosmetics as the real Pace Minus the power plant (SUPER DUTY 4) that they put into the actual pace car. Still a fun car to drive and a head turner.

[@Fontanamotorsport]

only 200 of the 2000 were manual transmission.

[@frankthecat]

That exact car was my first new car. It never ran right. I loved it however. Great video.

[@brettkramer]

It was so exciting when these cars hit the road back in 1984 because at the time, there was just nothing else like it on the road that was affordable.

[@johnlong4987]

I have a good friend that owned a Fiero and she carried two 16ft kayaks on a home-built roof rack on top of it.

[@loelljames9770]

Any fiero looks gorgeous

[@lloydgreen4091]

Only the '84s were the fire hazard. Going to 4qt oil capacity & vented rear deck lid solved the problem. Really Only the '88s were the ones to have. All other years were Chevette front suspension. lol '88 suspension upper & lower control arms were parts, All Their Own, even the Firebird parts wouldn't fit. With 306k made over the years & less than 10K made in '88. Figured to about 2.8% IIRC. So for every 100 you would see, Less than THREE Would be '88s Extremely Rare. Oldsmobile Quad 4s were a Great swap for these increasing the horsepower from 90 to 150 making them Scoot. Rumor has it because of only supercharged & turbocharged were left to increase power, they ran Vettes off the proving grounds. So GM stopped production. Lived in Lansing over 45+ yrs. '68-'16 Fieros & Reattas were made there along with the '74 Corvette rear bumper covers. I owned a '75 Vette & TWO '88 Fieros. Those '88s Were Mini Vettes....LOL

[@mrozboss]

As an Aussie kid in the 80s I remember them and like them not that I ever seen one here but they always reminded me of a Ferrari front Alfa Romeo rear with a dash of Trans am cool old car now

[@onefortheroad2291]

Woah, 50mpg? That’s impressive enough, but the idea it did that without an overdrive trans is all the more impressive

[@mcqueenfanman]

It was an overdrive, basically had 3 speed ratios with 4th being OD. 85 4 cyl models had a 5 speed, the V6 got a different 5 speed in 87.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

When a rabbit diesel got high 40s on a good day and they say a gasser like this is getting 50 , I highly highly highly doubt it. Down a hill with the engine off it'll get 50mpg. And everyone with rabbit diesels saying they get over 50 are lying, or else they are holding up a mile of traffic.

[@Jeffgordonfan24hesthegoat]

@@MrTheHillfolk I can see them going 50 mph 😂 what about a geo metro tho 🤔 60 mpg??

[@BuzzLOLOL]

The 1980's early EFI still wasn't that good! My '77 Astre wagon with carb.'d Iron Duke rated 28 City and 34 Hiway... (Great for 1970's!) ... '84 Fiero with EFI'd Iron Duke rated 25 City and 33 Hiway in a much smaller, lighter, more streamlined car! Both 5 speeds with overdrive 5th...

[@Dayandcounting]

The Geo Metro's of the same era got around 50mpg.

[@jadesmith6823]

How are we not progressing with speakers in our head rests 🤷🏻 Another great video Steve 🙏😎

[@ddellwo]

I think Miata’s had/have that feature…..???

[@kevinkatz7027]

I've owned three Fieros, loved every one, great car...

[@joe6096]

That cassette deck is out of a mid-90s era Chrysler lol

[@johnwayne3904]

😂 It does! I'm surprised that slipped by Steve lol

[@johnevans9751]

If memory serves me. Know internally to Pontiac as the P-car, it's original name was to be Pegasus, hence the horse emblem. During early shakedown runs, it had a turbocharged aluminum 2.9 liter V6.

[@DrFiero]

I still have several of them, my first that I bought in '86. Like the username isn't a giveaway! Just to pick a few things apart in the video (in sequence!) - V6 spark plugs can be changed in about 15 minutes if they're not rusted in place from lack of maintenance (then it might take 30 or 40!). I've done it hundreds of times when I operated "The Fiero Hut". As for the front suspension, at least it DID get upgraded to the 5 bolt. 5 speeds (on 4cyls) arrived in '85, then on the V6 in '86. Headrest speakers were 84/85 only. Fiero in Italian means "proud".

[@MidnightMechanic]

Dude, the head unit's from Plymouth!! The Pentastar emblem is right on there!!

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

Love these cars. Just think about what the Fiero would've become if GM didn't kill it off. Typical GM. Gradually fix it till its almost perfect. Then kill it

[@rp9674]

You need to get consumer $ votes too

[@crw3673]

You are correct! Just when GM starts to get a car right, they pull the model. Love seeing these cars LS swapped.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

The Fiero with the planned additional power would have blown Corvettes away just like the mid engined C8 Corvettes annihilate all earlier Corvettes and everything else!

[@ThatGuy-cw8gb]

Would’ve loved to see this made to compete with the Miata.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

@@ThatGuy-cw8gb - Minor Fiero tweaks allow it to blow away a Miata same way C8 mid engine Corvette blows away earlier Corvettes...

[@junkmannoparts9696]

Steve you need to find a 68-73 Opel GT . also when you were in California did you follow the lifted 4X4 trend in the 1980's and off-road shops in the san Fernando valley in southern California . I would like to here the story of the Opel GT . Thanks JM

[@cwie2968]

Thanks Steve

[@rwdplz1]

1:14 The 2m4 sticker was used 84, 85, and 86 model years. 2m6 was also a sticker used on the non-GT cars that had a V6. GT cars had a 'Fiero GT' sticker. Not even all 84's had a 2m4 sticker: 84 Indy pace cars had an 'Indy Fiero' sticker. "One in 508 Fieros caught fire" Try a total of about 300, or 0.1% of the 370,000 produced. The V6 spark plugs can be changed in the car without dropping the engine, it's easier if you remove the decklid. 7:20 That's not even a GM stereo. 8:10 There was no Fiero 4 door prototype, there WAS a 4 seater, it does still exist.

[@Barry101er]

Another one-I would have not given it the time of day back in the day. But now-man, I woud l love one!

[@SleepyUncleSam]

Always loved the speakers in the headrests, I had a set of fiero seats in my s10

[@wizard5637]

I blew up my Chevette's "iron duke" driving back from a day of skipping high school in the eighties. That was a hard phone call to make to my step father that day.

[@coffeefish]

I beat the living snot out of my Chevette. Couldn't hurt the thing.

[@wizard5637]

@@coffeefish mine busted a rod and smashed the bottom of the spark plug off. I still remember being shown the plug that very same day.

[@bartscanland9415]

I remember that Car & Driver or Road & Track ran an article bemoaning the Fiero's demise in light of the fact that they had just been testing the new GT body with the Quad 4 engine, which would have been an exceptional package.

[@davebarron5939]

I bought a new one in 84, great car. Little low on power, and the cable connect stick shift was a POS. But what a great car otherwise. Bought an 86 with the V6 automatic, super car sold it, and have missed it ever since.

[@pan59023]

I HAD A 84 WHITE FIERO WORK PERFECT LOT OF POWER

[@jasonformulaboater357]

Had an '86 4cyl 5 speed with the aero package. Slow...yes, but still fun. The 4 door prototype is in a museum in Pontiac Illinois.

[@xeutoniumnyborg1192]

I worked as a tech at a Pontiac dealership in the late 1980s and turned wrenches on these Fieros when they were still in warranty. I still have memories of working the recall for the engine fire issue, still remember the recall number (84-C-15B). Sadly, GM decided to pull the plug on the Fiero the same year they debuted the engine that could have made this car a lot more reliable and better performing, the Quad 4.

[@oops1952]

Thank you Steve. I had heard the '88 was a real threat to the vet. Certainly in handling and bang for the buck. The look had improved a lot too.

[@AAA-nq6bo]

Back in 84 I bought a black 84 2m4 with a sunroof. I thought I was on top of the world until a Volkswagen smoked me in a race. It Still was a cool car and got tons of looks back in the day and my neighbor used to tease me that I was going to polish the paint right off the car because I was always washing, polishing, and detailing it. I Remember the speakers in the head test too… it was not a powerful stereo but it couldn’t be so that you wouldn’t blow your ear drums out.

[@shadow7796]

As an 80's kid, I thought these were the coolest looking car back then.

[@HELLBAG1]

An automatic 1984 was my first car in 1989. It was total poop and I wound up pushing it a lot. The 1985 manual I had some years later was a totally different car and very reliable. Must have been built on a Wednesday. As with most of my 80s cars, the radiator fans were straight wired to the ignition.

[@cheemo1957]

by 1988 they had a great car,same v6 as camaros..mine was awsome 331,000 miles i gave it to the neighbor kid

[@jimmybanta4520]

My older sister had two new 84 then a 88gt , I remember the 84 feeling futuristic as a 11 year old 😂

[@jayschlag6480]

Just love your plethora of information Steve, look forward to every video, i had a roommate who had a 86 fiero gt, it was pretty cool car, after we went separate ways, he transplanted a small block chevy in it, he said was never the same. I am working on a 62 ford f100 long bed, big back window truck, has a dana/spicer 44 w/3:73 locked rearend, matches vin tag info. If your taking any requests, would love to see what you come up with on 61-63 ford f100 integral unibody pickups, of course thats if there is one in a junk yard near you..